Electric pressure-ratio indicator.



W. K. BILLINGS. ELECTBIU PBESSURE'RATIO INDICATOR. ArrLmA'x-Ion FILED MAY zo, 1909.

965,274. Patented .my 26,1910.

uaoooooooloaot nmocoonaoooao caubooaollaovuw ASA WHITE KENNEY BILLINGS, OF HABANA, CUBA.

. ELECTRIC PRESSURE-RATIO INDICATOR.

.Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 2e, 1910.

v Application led May 20, 1909. Serial No. 497,364.

To all whom it 'may concern.'

Be it known thatI, ASA WHITE KENNEY BILLINGS, a citizen of the UnitedStates of America, and a resident of Habana, in the Province of Habana and Republic of Cuba, have invented'certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Pressure-Ratio 1ndicators, of which ication.

This invention relates to an apparatus adapted to co-act with a device in which there exist differences of pressure in different portions thereof, to determine accurately the ratio of the said dierences of pressures, and it consists in providing suitable receptacles, the ends of each of which are connected by pipes to two port-ions of said apparatus'so that the pressures in said two portions may act upon a liquid contained within said receptacle and thereby 1ndicate by suitable means the ratio of the said differences of pressures in the different portions of said device.

It further consists in providing an electrically operated indicator which is so connected to different parts of said apparatus that the differences of pressures existing in the different portions will operate it and cause a. visual indication to be made ofthe ratio of said differences of pressures in said different portions.

he invention further consists in a very simple and effective electrically controlled 'p instrument for indicating to the operator the ratio of the differences of pressures existing in any two port-ions of sald device.

The invent-ion `also consists in a novel means of controlling this indicating-instrument by means of an electric current passing through a resistance wire and including means for regulating the proportional length of wire traversed by saidcurrent thereto, this means of regulation being operated by the variations in the difference of pressure in different portions of said apparatus.

It consists, moreover, in an inclosed chamber, the opposite ends of which are `con- I nected by plpes to two different portions of the apparatus and provided with between .the two ends thereof filled with a thread or column of capable of movement lengthwise of sage and through which wire having a terminal apassage partially mercury saidpasextends a resistance for thel passage of the following is a specito the various ble therefor.

the electric current to the indicating instrument.

It consists further in including in an electric circuit containing a resistance wire, the proportional length of which that is traversed by the electric current being determined by the variation in the difference of pressure in two portionsof said apparatus, of al plurality of Aindicating instruments adapted to be simultaneously operated in different locations so that the actual operation of the apparatus may be made known workmen or officers responsi- The invention further consists in certain novel features of construction and arrangement of parts which will be readily understood by reference to the description of the drawings and to the claims hereinafter given.

The drawing shows a section of a boiler and a diagram drawn to an enlarged scale representing the indicating instrument and the apparatus connectedvto thev boiler for electrically controlling the operation of said indicators by the variations in the differences of pressures 1n different portions of the boiler and furnace.

In the drawings, 10 represents any wellknown form of boiler beneath one end of which is a. lire-pot 11 with the Hue-passages 12 conducting the gaseous products of combustion to the stack or chimney 18.

l/Vhile in the drawing a boiler as a means of generating steam is shown, it is obvious that the invention may be applied equally as well, not only to any other form of heating device in which a fire-pot and fluepassages for the products of combustion are used, but also to any apparatus i'n which the pressures vary in different portions thereof and of which it may be desired to obtain the ratio4 of the differences of pressures existing in different portions thereof. In the oil-burning/steam boiler shown in t-he drawing, the oiljls supplied through the pipe 15 and is atomlzed and forced into the fire-pot 11 by steam or compressed'air supplied through the .pipe 14, the supply of o1l and'steam or air/being controlled by suitable valves 43and 44, and the air-supply by suitable openings45. At some point adjacent t'o the boiler are tubular members 16 and 17 of small diamfrom one end terminal 32 or eter. The tubular member 16 is provided with an inclosed chamber 18at one end and a similar chamber 19 at the opposite end, while the tubular member 17 is in a similar manner provided with the'inclosed chambers 2O and 21.

The chamber 20 is connected by a pipe 24 with the exit 13 of the products of combustion, the mouthfof said pipe 24A being turned so as to face in a direction opposite tothe direction in which said products of combustion move. nected with the exit 13 at the same point, by a pipe 25, the said pipe 25 having its mouth at riglt angles to the direction of flow of the said products of combustion.

The chamber 18 is connected with the pipe 15 conveying the oil to the furnace by means of a pipe 22, the mouth of Said pipe being turned so as to face in a direction opposite to the direction in which said oil moves. The chamber 19 is connected with the said pipe 15 at or. near the same point by a pi e 23, the mouth of said pipe 23 being at rig t argles to the direction of flow of the said o1 The tubular member 17 has at one end a terminal 32 and in alinement therewith at the opposite end is a terminal 33, these two terminals 32 and 33 being connected 'by a resistance Wire 34. The tubular member 17. is partially illedwith a column or thread of mercury 35 adapted to extend normally 33 to the central terminal 3G. The remainder o f the tubular member 17 is iilled with a suitable liquid 46 which extends into and partially ills the chambers 20 and 21, the remainder of said chambers 20 and 21 being filled with air or gaseous products of combustion. In a similar manner the tubular member 16 is provided with the end terminals 27 and 28 and the center terminal 31 connected-together by a resistance wire 29 immersed-f.

throughout a portion of its length in a column of ,mally from one end terminal 27 or 28 to :the center terminal 31. The remainder of the tubular member 16 is filled with a suitable liquid 26 which extends into and partially lls the chambers 18 and 19, the re-` mainder of said chambers being filled with the fuel oil communicating with that in the pipe 15.

The terminals 27 and 32 are connected by a wire 37 to one current main of any sutt ie terminals 28 and 33 are connected by a wire 39 to the other current main of said electric circuit.

Interposed between the current main 38 and the central terminals 31 and 36 of the tubular members 16 and 17 and in circuit therewith are a plurality of indicatinginstruments 41 and 42 adapted to make slmul- The chamber 21 is con;r

mercury 30 adapted to extend nor-V taneous indications. These instruments may be of any desired form, such, for instance, as that shown and described-in Letters Patent No. 791,785, issued June 6th, 1905.

Normally the threads of mercury 30 and 35 are so adjusted in the tubular members 16` and 17 that these threads ofmercury will touch the corresponding end terminals 27 and 32 and cover the corresponding middle terminals 31 and 36 when there is no difference of pressure existing between the pipes 22 and 23, due to movement of the oil, and between the pipes 24 and 25, due to the movement of the products of combustion, respectively. It is obvious, however, that when any difference of pressure exists be. tween the pipes 22 and 23, due to the setting up of a flow of oil into the furnace, and between the pipes 24 and 25, due to the passing of the productsof combustion and excess air out of the exit 13, these will cause the threads or columns of mercury 30 and 35 to travel along the tubular members 16 and 17 to a new position in which each thus short-circuits a different portion of the corresponding resistance wire 29 or 34, thus altering the potential of the middle terminals 31 and 36 relative to that of the end terminals 27 and 28 and 32 and 33, and consequently altering the currents passing through the instruments 41 and 42, these operating silnultaneously to indicate the ratio of the two said differences of pressure, on a suitably calibrated scale.

llhile the means shown in the drawing for short-circuiting a portion of the resistance wires 29 and 34 and changing the po'- tential of the central terminals 31 and 36 when a current is passing through said re-A slstance wlres is a convement form of apparatus for accomplishing this end, itis ob.- vlous that such device may be altered conslderably without altering the principles of the present invention, the main object being to. prov1de some means of varying the prop ortional length of that portion of the resistance wire (or some equivalent therefor) traversed by the electric current on its way to the indicating instrument in accordance with the variations in the diierence of pressure in that portion of the device.

It' is obvious that, while it is preferable to use 1n series two combination indicating instruments such as are shown, one of which may be placed in front of the operator and the other of which may be placed in the otiice of the works, it is not essential that the two instruments should be used, for a single instrument may be used for giving the necessary information -to the operator to permit him to operate the device so as to secure the best results therefrom.

While the drawing shows and the specification describes the invention as ap lied to a boiler, it is quite obvious that t e same vilo apparatus,

tions thereo the combination may be applied to any apparatus in which t e pressuresv vary 1n different` portions thereof and of which it may be desired to obtain the ratio of the differences of pressures existing in different portions thereof.

This makes a very convenient form of indicator foridisplayiug the variations in the differences of pressure in two portions of an and by such indications thus made giving the required information to the operator to permit him to keep track of the actual conditions of operation of the apparatus and thereby better control the same. F orr case of a heating apparatus instance, in the the actual condition of the combustion process therein .would be indicated to the fireman so that he could better regulate the fire t-o secure the most beneficial results.

It is believed that the operation and many advantages of the invention will be thoroughly understood from the foregoing.

Having .thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a device in which differences of ressure exist in different porof a plurality of receptacles each containing a liquid; pipes leading from the ends of each of said receptacles to different portions of said device throughwhich the said differences of pressures in said different portions are adapted to act on 'said liquid; and means including a resistance wire partially immersed in a liquid conductor co-acting with said liquid for indicating any variation in the ratio of the differences of pressures in said different portions of said device. i

2. In an apparatus of the class described,

with a device in which differences of ressure exist in different portions thereol); of a plurality of U-shaped receptacles each containing a liquid; pipes` leading from the ends of each ofsaid receptacles to different portions o f said device through which existing insa-id different portions arel adapted to act on said liquid; and means including a resistance wire partially immersed in a liquid conductor co-acting with said liquid for indicating any variation in the ratio of the differences of pressure in said different portions of said device.

3. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a device in which differences of pressure exist in different prl tions thereof; of an electricallyoperated `in` dicating instrument; of a plurality of devices each including a resistance Wire partially immersed in a liquid conductor interposed between said rst mentioned device and instrument adapted to change the potential ofthe current to'said instrument by the change in the differences of pressure in two portions of said device.

4. Inan apparatus of the class described, the combination with a device in which differences of pressure exist in different por- -tions thereof; of an electrically operated iiidicatinginstrument; and of a plurality of devices, each including a resistance wire par-l tially immersed in a conducting fluid Inovable lengthwise of said wire by the varia'- tions in pressure actingthereon, interposed between said first mentioned device and said instrument adapted to change the potential of the current to said instrument by the change of pressures in two portions of said device. v g

5. In an apparatus of the classvdescribed, the combination with a device in which differences of ressure exist in different porthe differences of pressure tions thereo dicating instrument; and of a plurality of devices each including avresistance wire partially'immersed in a liquid conductor interposed between said first mentioned device and said instrument for regulating the strength of electric current passing to said instrument by the variations in pressure in two portions of the said device acting upon said liquid conductor to move it lengthwise of said wire.

(3. In an app-aratus of the class described, thecoinbination with'a device in which differences of pressure exist in ldifferent portions thereof; of an electrically operated indicating instrument; of an inclosed receptacle; pipes leading from opposite ends thereof to two separated portions of said device; means passing through said receptacle for conducting an electric current to operate said instrument; and means contained in said receptacle for varying the potential of said current with the variations in pressure in the two ends of said receptacle.

In an apparatus. of the class described, the combination with a device in which differences of pressure exist in differentportions thereof; of an electrically operated indicating instrument; of an inclosed receptacle; pipesleading from opposite ends thereof to two portions of said device; means assing through said receptacle for conducting an electric current to operate Huid contained in said receptacle adapted to be moved into various positions therein by the variations in pressure at either end thereof and thereby vary the potential of the electric current passing to said inst-rument.

8. In an apparatus ofthe class described, the combination with a device in which differences of pressure exist in different portions thereof; of an electrically operated indicating instrument; of an inclosed receptacle partially filled with liquid; pipes leading from the ends thereof to two por'- tions of said device; means passing through of an electrically operated in- I said instrument; and a thread of conducting said receptacle for conducting an electric current to operate said instrument; and a thread of a liquid conductor immersed in the said liquid adapted to be moved into various positions in said receptacle by the variations in pressure at either end thereof and thereby vary the potential of the electric current passing to the said instrument.

2L In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a device in which differences of pressure exist in different portions thereof; of an electrically operated indicating instrument; of two inclosed rece tacles each partially filled. with a liqui pipes leading from each end'of each of said receptacles to a different portion of said device; a resista-nce wire passing through each of said receptacles through which the current to the indicating instrument passes; a thread of liquid conductor in each of said receptacles in which said wire is immersed and ada ted to be acted upon'to move it longitudmally of said wire by the variations in pressure at either end of said receptacle; and a central terminal in either of said receptacles, one end of which connects with said thread ofliquid conductor while the other connects with said' instrument. V

' 10. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination With a device in which differences of pressure exist in different portions thereof; of an electrically operated indicating instrument; of two inclosed receptacles each filled with fluids of different densities; pipes leading from each end of each of sald receptacles to a diderent'portion of said device; a resistance wire passing through each of said receptacles through which the current to the indicating instrument passes; a thread of liquid conductor in each of said receptacles in which said wire is immersed and adapted to be acted upon to move it longitudinally of said wire by the variations in pressure at either end of said receptacle; and a central terminal in either of said receptacles, one end of which connects with said thread of liquid conductor While the other connects with said instrument.

11. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a device in which differences of pressure exist vin dierent portions thereof; of an electrically operated 1ndicating instrument; of two inclosed receptacles each filled with fluids of dierent densities; pipes leading from -each end of each of said receptacles to different Vportions of said device; a resistance wire passing through each of said, receptacles through which the current to the indicating instrument passes; a vthread of liquid in each of said receptacles in which said wire is immersed separating portions of liquid of different electrical conductivity and ada pted to be acted upon to move -it longitudinally of said wire by the variations in pressure at either end of said receptacle; and a central terminal in either of sa1d receptacles, one end of which connects with said resistance wire immersed in the thread of liquid while the other connects with said instrument.

12. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a device in which the movement of fluids exists in different portions thereof; of an electrically operated indicating instrument; of two inclosed recep- 'tacles each filled with fluids of different densities; pipes leading from' each end of each of said receptacles to different portions of said device;.and adapted to transmit to said receptacles pressures which vary with the variations in themovements of the fluids in said device; a resistance wire passing through each of said receptacles through which the current to the indicating instrument passes; a thread of liquid -in each of said receptacles separating liquids of different electrical conductivity in which said resistance wire is immersed and adapted to be acted upon to move it longitudinally of said wire by the variations in pressure at either end of said receptacle; and a central terminal in each of said receptacles, one end of which connects with said resistance Wire while the other connects with said instrument.

13. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a device in which differences of pressure exist in different portions thereof; of a receptacle containing a thread composed of fluids of different electrical conductivities; a resistance wire immersed in said thread of fiuids and terminating outside of said receptacle; an electric circuit to the source of electric current to which the said terminals are connected; a central contact extending into the said thread of fluids and connected to the said resistance wire; an indicating instrument connected to said contact and to another portion of the said electric circuit; and means whereby the pressure in different portions of the said device will act on the opposite ends of said thread of fluids,

14. In an apparatusof the class described,

the combination with a device in which movements of fluids exist in different portions thereof; of a receptacle containing ay, thread composed of fluids Aof different elec/ of the said electric circuit; and means whereby the movement of fluid -in a portion of said device will act upon the opposite ends of said thread ofiluids. 'f

15. In an apparatus ofthe class described, the combination with a device in which dif-v ferences of pressure exist in different portions thereof; of a plurality of receptacles each containin a resistance wire immersed in a thread ofgfluidsof differentv electrical conductivities and terminating outside of said receptacle' a source of electric current; a plurality of electric circuits from the source of current and' including the resistance Wires' in the said receptacles; an elec trically operated indicating instrument connected to said electriccircuits; and means whereby the pressures indifferent portions of the device Will act vupon and cause movement in th'e threads of liuids. l

16. In an apparatus of the class described, the combination with a device in Which differences of ressure exist in different portions thereo of a plurality of rece tacles each containing a liquid and a movab e conductor of electricity; pipes leading from the ends of each of sald receptacles to different' portions of said device through which the said differences of pressures in said dii'erent portions are adapted to act on said liquid and through it said movable conductor; a resistance wire passing through said liquid and movable conductor, between two terminals; a central terminal communicating with said movable conductor; and an indicating device electrically connected to said end terminals and central terminals.

Signed by me fat Habana, Cuba, this twenty-sixth day of April, in the year nineteen hundred and nine.

I ASA WHITE KENNEY BILLINGS. Witnesses:

HENRY P. STARRETT, VIcToR NABNAUD. 

